A SINGLE WOMAN ARMY THAT SHE WAS, JUDITH DEFEATED A MIGHTY ARMY LED BY THE GENERAL HOLOFERNES, THROUGH HER PRAYER THAT BROUGHT HEAVEN DOWN. IT IS THAT QUALITY OF PRAYER THAT MADE THE DIFFERENCE. THE INTRODUCTION TO THAT PRAYER IS CONVINCING ENOUGH REGARDING THE ATTITUDE OF PROFOUND HUMILITY AND TOTAL INVOLVEMENT IN PRAYER:
"Judith threw herself down prostrate, with ashes strewn upon her head, and wearing nothing over her sackcloth. while the incense was being offered in the temple of God in Jerusalem that evening, Judith prayed to the Lord with a loud voice" (Judith 9:1)
That was a primitive style of prayer but genuine and typically Semitic or rather Jewish in character. There are important elements to be noted:
* Prostration
* Ashes strewn upon the head
* Wearing a sackcloth and nothing more
* While incense was being offered
* She prayed with a loud voice
None of these qualities can be seen in modern types of prayer when we come well-dressed and sit comfortably on chairs, even cross-legged, and pray rather mentally than vocally. Judith followed the Jewish pattern of prayer that was done in extreme situations. Her posture was prostration something that brings a person to the earth level in humility. Next she does not use any special make-up with cosmetics- her cosmetics are ashes strewn over the hair. She does not wear fine clothes but only sackcloth. She chooses the appropriate moment to pray, that is, when incense was being offered which symbolizes sacred moment when the priest too is offering prayer to God. Finally her prayer is with a loud voice.
There are other Jewish qualities of prayer added to this her all-important prayer. The Jews would recall the past and remind God of the times he saved them.she recalls particularly the way Simeon had avenged the rape of his sister Dina and slaughtered those strangers in a treacherous manner that she considers as heroic act done with the help of God. Judith also brings to the Lord's notice the evil intention of the proud Assyrians to defile his holy sanctuary, their plan to poll out the tabernacle and to destroy his altar.
She talks to the heart of God by telling him that he does not need numbers and reminds about his goodness towards the lowly. She uses also a few touching titles about God's goodness, "Your strength is not in numbers, nor does your power depend upon stalwart men; but you are the God of the lowly, the helper of the oppressed, the supporter of the weak,the protector of the forsaken, the Savior of those without hope" (Judith 9:11). She uses even greater titles for God which are definitely appealing,"Please God of my forefather, God of the heritage of Israel, Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of the waters,King of all you have created, hear my prayer!"(Judith 9:12). According to Jewish way of thinking, it was important to address God invoking his various attributes and powers. Jesus was not in favor of such a mode of prayer, "When you pray do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do" (Mt.6:7). However, in Juduth's case, she is not heaping up empty phrases by calling God by the important titles he had. She is simple, sincere and profoundly theological in her prayer, when she tells God, "the Lord is your name" (Judith 9:8).
Prayer has to be persistent as Judith does. No where in the Bible do we read of someone pleading and begging God more than Judith does as we read in verse 12. "Please, please" she begs like a little child before a loving father. How can a loving father refuse the plea of a beloved daughter?
In prayer we should give glory to God as Judith does. In the last verse of Chapter 9, she prays that this victory over the enemy will bring more honour and glory to God and not to her or anyone else,"Let your whole nation and all the tribes know clearly that you are the god of all power and might, and that there is no other who protects the people of Israel but you alone"(9:14)
Therefore, we see that Judith's prayer was a humble but powerful one which encompassed the qualities that please God and which he could not reject. They are qualities such as-her humility, total trust in God, selfless,sincerity,total commitment, giving total glory and honour only to God. Although she was a woman, her courage and bravery to take such a dreadful risk of loosing her life came totally from her trust in her God and not in any human help, not in the army of her nation.It was really her trust that worked the miracle and because she trusted in her God, she sought his help by spending time in fasting and prayer. And she prayed with all her heart,all her soul and all her mind - a fervent prayer that God could not overlook.
In contrast to her total trust in God,the Assyrians trusted in their horses and riders, soldiers, their shield and spear, bow and sling. She prayed that the Lord would make himself and his might known to them by crushing their strength, their arrogance and their pride. We know from the Bible, God delights in the humble but resists the proud as St. James says, "God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble" "(James 4:6).
Judith's prayer and courageous deed have been likened to the Blessed Virgin Mary's God-given grace and strength to crush the serpent the devil.
Judith's prayer and the Magnificat of Mary have something in common, humility and trust.
Judith's prayer and courage are of course surpassed by Mary's self-sacrifice and trust at the foot of the cross, doing the final battle against the devil.
A FINAL THOUGHT
Judith's story may look unbelievable but the message is unbelievably true because of the substance of the prayer attributed to her.That kind of prayer could not have been rejected by God. We are taught how to pray since our childhood but does not mean we know how to pray. If our prayer is lacking something we can take it from Judith-humility in posture and dress, praying from the heart and offering it like incense to God. Judith was forceful in her prayer because she recalled the great deeds of God and addressed God with meaningful titles. We have many things before God to thank him for we know the best title that we can use for through Jesus the prayer will be more powerful than that of Judith, provided we also trust with all our heart and in all humility, as Judith had done.
